Synopses & Reviews
Now in paperback! In Grassland the only hope of freedom is to go beyond the reach of sinister, silent masters, and the only family you know are your fellow captives. Coriko has never known a world beyond his cell and the fields where he toils all day. He does what hes told and tries not to anger the Spears, the cruel, masked jailers who guard him and the other child slaves. If he gathers baskets of shards and keeps quiet and orderly, then he can spend time with his cellmate and best friend, Pippa.
But without warning, the childrens orderly lives begin to change—slowly at first, with the arrival of a pair of siblings who speak Coriko and Pippas language. Soon after, violent events shake up the quiet world of Grassland, and Coriko must find the strength to grasp his freedom. Full of heartstopping action, Escape the Mask introduces Coriko, Pippa, and their friends—and begins the journey of The Grassland Trilogy.
Praise for Escape the Mask “The quick pace immerses readers in an exotic locale . . . allows readers to experience the discovery . . .” —Kirkus Reviews “Comparable in some ways to Goldings Lord of the Flies . . . bursts with action . . . excellent descriptive writing allows the reader to visualize the action.” —VOYA, 4Q4P
F&P level: X
F&P genre: F
Synopsis
When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into
The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.
Praise for Between Two Ends
A book about a book within a book. Ward presents just enough of an outline of the traditional Arabian Nights frame story to set the stage for modern readers, while creating his own fantasy within the fantasy to grab their attention.
Kirkus Reviews
A satisfying chapterbook fantasy.
Booklist
Both the fantastical and the real settings are well developed. The gruff and amusing bookend pirates are the perfect mix of heroism and pragmatism to complement Yeats.
The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books"
Synopsis
Suspenseful and engrossing,
Beneath the Mask continues the story of Coriko,
Pippa, and the expanding world of Grassland. After escaping the deadly warrior Spears, Coriko is finally free to take his destiny into his own hands. But freedom proves elusive in the face of a new trialthe Separation. At this horrible event, he learns the secret of one of Grasslands biggest mysteries: What lurks beneath the masks of the mysterious Spears?
Forced away from his beloved Pippa, Coriko is offered a comfortable lifeclothes, his own home, a communityin exchange for committing unspeakable deeds. Trapped once again, Coriko must decide what he truly values, and what hes willing to do to protect his way of life.
Synopsis
'
A continuing saga of danger, bravery, and unexpected friendships
After escaping from their lives as slaves and from the deadly warriors called Spears, Corki and Pippa and their new friends believe theyre destined for a better, free life. But when their plan to leave Grassland is thwarted, they find themselves in the grips of a new trial: the Separation. At this horrible event they learn the answer to one of Grasslands biggest puzzles: What lurks beneath the masks of the warrior Spears?
Forced apart from his beloved Pippa and into a life he despises, Corki finds that theres more than one way to be trapped. When he and the other former prisoners are offered a comfortable lifeclothes, their own homes, a communityin exchange for committing unspeakable deeds, Corki must decide what he truly values and what hes willing to do to protect it. Full of heart-stopping action, Beneath the Mask continues the story of Corki, Pippa, and the expanding world of Grassland.'
Synopsis
Trying to help his father deal with his long-standing depression, Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's old and eerie house, where he discovers a pair of pirate bookends that unlock a 30-year-old secret that Yeats must try to resolve by entering the exotic world of The Arabian Nights.
Synopsis
When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.
Praise for Between Two Ends
“A book about a book within a book. Ward presents just enough of an outline of the traditional Arabian Nights frame story to set the stage for modern readers, while creating his own fantasy within the fantasy to grab their attention.” -Kirkus Reviews
“A satisfying chapterbook fantasy.” -Booklist
“Both the fantastical and the real settings are well developed. The gruff and amusing bookend pirates are the perfect mix of heroism and pragmatism to complement Yeats.” -The Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books
About the Author
David Ward was born in Montreal, Quebec and grew up in the city of Vancouver beside the mountains and ocean. He was an elementary school teacher for eleven years before completing his Masters degree. David is currently a writer and university instructor in children's literature. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and three children.